Crow elder addresses Tribal Leaders |
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Date Posted: 11/10/2009 Description: While President Obamas address to tribal leaders at the White House conference Thursday afternoon was cut short by the Fort Hood shooting tragedy, he wanted to make sure he acknowledged the presence of Crow tribal elder Dr. Joe Medicine Crow. The 96-year-old Medicine Crow, tribal historian and author, was there in his traditional headdress for the days events. President Obama gave a controversial shout out to Medicine Crow prior to addressing the American people about the Ft. Hood event that afternoon. The following day, some critics questioned the appropriateness of a president giving a lighthearted comment prior to speaking about a national tragedy. The president obviously values and respects the role of elders in Native communities. He had invited Medicine Crow to the White House on August 12 and gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Following lunch Thursday, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar invited Medicine Crow to address the group. His words were succinct and enlightening, humorous and piercing, a speech that might have been given by a great chief a hundred years ago. Of all the speakers Thursday, Medicine Crow best summed up what President Obamas election means to tribes and provided some reflections on and advice to tribal leadership. Here are his comments: Kahe, kahe, kahe. (Crow greeting) To you who have come from the four directions of the wind. You have come to exactly the right place at the right time. (Loud applause) When Sen. Obama was in Indian Country in August of last year, he said, I am going to help you Indian people, you have been second class citizens for too long in your own country. It has been said that BIA means, Bossing Indians around. But hes going to change that. Among other things hes going to change that to, Bringing Indians around. (Laughter) So today he is doing that. Hes bringing Indians all over to the Great White Fathers camp. I saw four teepees out there already. (Emotion in his voice, referring to teepees put up across from Department of Interior building for the conference.) So we are in the process of taking back our country. So let me say to the young Indian leaders of the various reservations: do your very best to make this great country and even bigger and better country. (Applause) One trouble: we Indian people are our own worst enemy. Were just like a pail of lobsters. When one tries to climb out the others try to drag him down into the gutter. You know what I mean you leaders of the tribe. In the olden days, when the leaders came to visit the great white father, it would be just a few elders. But now, as I look around, there are a lot of young people, a lot of young women. (Laughter) Theyre already experienced in running their own reservations. Women, through knowledge, theyre here. But thats alright. (Laughter) I say aho, aho. Thank you. (Loud applause)
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